S. Vishnu Sharma
GATE 2021 exam day is fast approaching and IIT Bombay has released the instructions that candidates have to follow during the exam.
These guidelines explain about what candidates for GATE 2021 exam are supposed to do on the exam day.
The Dos and Donts on the exam day are explained in a video that can be accessed at the website of GATE 2021 exam ‘https://gate.iitb.ac.in/’
GATE 2021 exam applicants can go to the above mentioned website and scroll down the page to find a button ‘Video of Exam Day Process for Candidates Click Here’
Candidates attending GATE 2021 exam have to click the button and watch a YouTube video that explains them as to what they have to do and what they are not supposed to on the day of the test.
The video is accessible directly on the link ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHF10zifc0E&feature=youtu.be’
As per the guidelines, applicants must arrive at their respective test centres before their scheduled reporting time on the day of GATE 2021 exam.
Those who are writing GATE 2021 exam have to carry with them a valid photo ID and exam hallticket to gain entry into the test centre.
The motive behind reaching the exam centres earlier is to avoid crowding there.
GATE 2021 exam
Applicants are advised to reach atleast one hour before their scheduled time to leave no room for overcrowding at the test centre for GATE 2021 exam.
Candidates must stand in the ques as per the floor markings done in a manner to ensure physical distancing at GATE 2021 exam centres.
Those who are found with body temperatures more than 99.4 degree Farenheit will be taken to a seperate area (isolation) within the test centre for GATE 2021 exam.
Candidates with higher body temperatures will be allowed to write GATE 2021 exam from the isolation spot in the examination centre.
What items are candidates allowed to bring with them inside the test centre for GATE 2021 exam?
Applicants can bring along with them pens, admit cards, exam related documents, masks, gloves, personal hand sanitizers and personal transperant waterbottles.
Post the GATE 2021 exam, candidates have to drop their hallticket and rough pads in a box provided at the examination centre.
After they have put their admitcards and rough pads, applicants can leave GATE 2021 exam centres in an orderly manner.
This time the schedule for GATE 2021 exam is longer than usual.
GATE 2021 exam will be conducted from 5 to 14 February, this is being done keeping in view the need to adhere to safety norms owing to COVID-19 situation.
Also, the eligibility criteria for GATE 2021 exam has been relaxed and two new subjects – Environmental Science and Engineering (ES) and Humanities and Social Science (XS) have been introduced.
The total number of subjects in GATE 2021 exam has gone up to 27 with the introduction of two new subjects.
Postpone GATE exam
While the test date for GATE 2021 exam is fast approaching, the demand to conduct the popular test on another day is also rising.
Main reason behind the demand is the clash of exam schedule.
R. Srinivasan, a post graduate student says, university exams are scheduled to held in February, that is the time when GATE 2021 exam is going to be conducted.
Conducting both exams at the sametime may mean certain students have to drop attending GATE 2021 exam as its dates may come in the way of university exams, he says.
M. Venu Madhav, a faculty in an engineering college says passing the degree is more important for the students as that is the eligibility criteria for GATE 2021 exam.
This may compel many students to forgo the competitive exam and attend their university exams, says Venu Madhav.
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That is a fear shared by many others also.
Postponing GATE 2021 exam by a month or two months will help students attend university exams and also give ample time for GATE preparation, says L. Navaneetha Krishnan, also a faculty in an engineering college.
Teachers and students are treading the same view point. GATE 2021 exam can be postponed by a month or two, says A. Ramadass, a post gradudate student of Mathematics.
Last year was a time where things never went as per the planned schedule on the academic arena. Exams, admissions, practicals everything got postponed.
This only means that delay in academic activities during 2020 is bound to have its impact on academics of this year, reminds Ramadass.
Many university or college exams are to held in February this year as teaching began late during the previous year.
Much of the delay in commencement of activities on academic arena was owing to corona virus outbreak.
As many educational institutions downed shutters owing to outbreak of the virus, exams, admissions and classes could not be conducted in a timely manner, says Ramadass.
If university exams are to held along with GATE 2021 exam, students may have little time left for preparation.
Interestingly, many of the students have even taken to social media platforms reminding the need to postpone GATE 2021.
One of the post on social media said ‘there is no notes or study material and how do you expect us to stay prepared? Everyone was suffering due to pandemic including us. Postpone GATE or Give us attempts.’
Another post which demands postponement of GATE 2021 read ‘#postponegate2021 sir a large number of students wants the paper to be shifted by a month n this demand is for revision time ,we are not non-serious candidates who wants paper to be shifted for 6-7 months ..just 25-30 days’
While the demand is picking up for postponing GATE 2021, so far there is no response from authorities concerned.
Veteran educationists say it is better to wait and watch for any response from authorities concerned, IIT Bombay.
Until there is some repsonse from the authorities conducting the exam with regards to postponement, candidates who applied for the exam must stick to the usual schedule.
GATE 2021 will be conducted from 5 to 14 February this year and the hallticket was also made available for download recently.
However, exam applicants must visit the official website of the GATE 2021 at ‘https://gate.iitb.ac.in/’ for any updates in connection with the test.
As chances for postponing the exam may be takenup if the situation requires, exam applicants better visit the official website of GATE 2021 to stay updated.